Pelargonium plant named &#39;PACLARA&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Paclara’, characterized by its upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; and white-colored semi-double flowers that are held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium x hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACLARA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Paclara’.

The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new uniform Zonal Geranium plants withdark green-colored leaves and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor of two unidentified proprietary selections of Pelargonium xhortorum, not patented, during the summer of 2012. Seed was collectedfrom a number of potential parent plants, combined and sown. The newZonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated masscross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden,Germany during the spring of 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetativeterminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden,Germany since January, 2014 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Zonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed under allpossible combinations of environmental conditions and culturalpractices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironmental conditions such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Paclara’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Paclara’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geraniumplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   6. White-colored semi-double flowers that are held above the        foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium x hortorum ‘Paciceberg’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.28,385. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Zonal Geraniumdiffer from plants of ‘Paciceberg’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are taller and more upright        than plants of ‘Paciceberg’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium are darker green        in color than leaves of plants of ‘Paciceberg’.    -   3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium flower about five days        earlier than plants of ‘Paciceberg’.    -   4. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have shorter peduncles than        plants of ‘Paciceberg’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Zonal Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Paclara’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the winter,spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Zonal Geraniumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levelsranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were four months old whenthe photograph was taken and eight months old when the detaileddescription was taken. In the detailed description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Paclara’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection            of Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of            Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly rounded plant            habit; inverted triangle; densely foliated; moderately            vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate; freely basal            branching habit with numerous lateral branches developing            per plant; pinching is not required.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 40 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 31 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Internode length: About 1 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Close to 148C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite and alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 4.7 cm.        -   Width.—About 8 cm.        -   Shape.—Rounded; roughly reniform.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate, open.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately pubescent;            felt-like.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 139A; venation, close to 139A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation,            close to 144A. Zonation pattern: Intensity: Faint. Color:            Darker than 139A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Semi-double flowers            arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical            leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on            strong peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly; freely            flowering habit with about four flower buds and about eleven            open flowers per umbel.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants begin            flowering about 70 days after planting; in the garden in            Germany, flowering begins in April and continues until frost            in the autumn.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the            plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;            flowers persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 10 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Round. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About six; petals imbricate.            Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape: Obovate.            Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D;            venation, close to 155D; color does not change with            development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 155D; venation, close to 155D; color does not            change with development.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About one to four arranged            at the center of the flower. Length: About 1 cm. Width:            About 5 mm. Shape: Irregularly shaped. Apex: Acute to            rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth to crinkled, glabrous. Color: When            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D;            venation, close to 155D; color does not change with            development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 155D; venation, close to 155D; color does not            change with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five or six arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly upright.            Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 2.8 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm; no swelling observed. Strength:            Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Moderately pubescent.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About eight. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:            Tubular. Anther color: Close to 29C. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 167A. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma            shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 155D. Style            length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 155D. Ovary color:            Close to 138B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development            have not been observed on plants of the new Zonal Geranium.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal    Geraniums.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about    35° C. to 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named‘Paclara’ as illustrated and described.